


The Art of Denial

by writemydreams



Category: Acid Black Cherry, BUCK-TICK, Kiyoharu - Fandom, Lycaon, Royz
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ghosts, M/M, Paranormal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-02
Updated: 2013-10-07
Packaged: 2017-12-07 06:38:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/745453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writemydreams/pseuds/writemydreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a girl commits suicide in his apartment, Atsushi starts getting headaches and having nightmares on an almost daily basis. Doctors can't figure out why he's having so many headaches and as time goes on Atsushi starts to realize there may be no logical explanation to his problem... but he's unwilling to accept there might be supernatural causes even though all the evidence points to it.</p><p>DISCONTINUED</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> None of the musicians portrayed in this fanfiction belong to me. The story and the original characters do.

**Chapter One**

Friday’s party was one that Atsushi had been looking forward to all month. The record label he worked at was extremely proud of its bands and threw parties every few months, especially when a new release topped the charts. Atsushi had been mostly excited for the free food and endless supply of alcohol. He wasn’t always the most social person but he had been looking forward to celebrating with friends and co-workers. He’d been here for an hour though and the party, which should have been enjoyable, was more of a chore. Atsushi blamed his headache for that. He’d woken up with a headache that refused to go away.

Shifting his wine glass to his left hand, Atsushi rubbed his temples with his right. This was his third headache this week. Why so many? His almost waist-length hair could be part of the reason. That hair did get heavy, especially when wet. Atsushi had put it up earlier to relieve some of the pressure on his head. Although it helped, the style looked absolutely ridiculous so he had to leave his hair down for the party.

“Headache?” Hide asked. The sudden question startled Atsushi so badly he almost dropped his wine glass. Hide, dressed in a nondescript black suit and Imai being well… Imai in his black and red pinstriped suit with odd, gold-colored boots, were standing nearby. Imai’s outfit clashed horribly with his—for now—blue hair. Typical Imai. And yet he teased Atsushi for always wearing black… he had no right to judge someone else’s fashion when he usually looked like a colorblind clown chose his clothes for him.

Atsushi sighed. “Yeah, another one.” Maybe he should cut his hair. Sometimes it drove him insane but he was so used to his long hair that he wasn’t ready to cut it.  
Hide looked concerned. Imai frowned then glanced at the wine glass clasped in the longhaired man’s hand. “Did you have too much to drink already?”

“No,” Atsushi said. This was only his second glass of alcohol so the drink shouldn’t be the problem. He scowled as Imai looked skeptical. “This is my second drink,” he complained. Sometimes his love of alcohol bit him in the ass. But Imai loved alcohol just as much. The two of them being drunk together could easily be a dangerous combination though. Dangerous as in Atsushi tended to find himself in bed with the other man. Somehow he managed not to recall what had happened the last time they’d drunk too much together. Although details threatened to slip through that mental filter.

“Acchan?”

Atsushi started again. Shit… he’d completely spaced out. “Sorry.” He glanced at his wine. He hadn’t been drinking as much as he usually did this week due to the headaches so alcohol couldn’t be the cause. Sighing, he finished his drink then set it down on one of the empty tables conveniently scattered throughout the room for that purpose. “It’s just… this headache. I’ve had it since I woke up this morning and I can’t get rid of it.” Aspirin hadn’t helped. Neither had napping in between work and the party. The headache was part of the reason he’d decided to lurk at the back of the room and near a corner. It provided peace and quiet. Also… shelter from his various admirers. There were too many for Atsushi’s liking. Having so many “fans” made him uncomfortable, unworthy of their attention.

“What about yesterday? Did you drink a lot then?” Hide asked, pulling Atsushi out of his thoughts. He was frowning as he as he studied the other man. The scrutiny made him uncomfortable since he’d never liked being at the center of everyone's attention. Especially from his childhood friends as they could always tell when something was wrong.

"No. I don't have a headache because of alcohol," Atsushi said, letting out a soft sigh of exasperation. He only had two beers yesterday. There was no reason for alcohol to be the source of this headache. “It’s just… I don't know. This is the third time this week that I’ve woken up with a headache. Usually they fade throughout the day but this one won’t go away.” Atsushi rubbed his temples again. It’d been a nightmare to concentrate on consultation meetings and drawing for the two bands he designed for. Then U-ta wanted him to come to his store after lunch to show him the new bass he’d developed… then Imai insisted on having him try one of the guitars… no wonder he couldn’t get rid of his headache.

Imai frowned again then smirked. "Your head must be fucked up then."

"Imai," Hide said, giving him an annoyed look. "Acchan’s in pain. Try to be civil."

"I am civil!"

Atsushi chuckled softly at Imai's insistence. Imai and civil weren't usually put in the same sentence together. Imai was hotheaded, stubborn, and freely spoke his mind. The art of censoring himself was a foreign concept... Unless he absolutely had to be polite.

He jumped as Imai suddenly cupped his face, turning his head so he could look at him. Atsushi felt himself blushing from the sudden action, feeling flustered as Imai basically manhandled him. "Um... Imai..." He said awkwardly, blinking as the other man tilted his head down. Then he was parting Atsushi's hair and feeling his head.

Atsushi's face was probably beet red from how awkward he felt right now. "Imai! What are you doing?"

"Besides groping your head," Hide said dryly.

"I'm checking for bumps! If you didn't have all this hair it'd be easier to see." Finally Imai pulled back. "You don't have any bumps on your head."

Atsushi sighed then finger combed his hair so he could get it to lay flat again. He was extremely low maintenance when it came to his appearance (unless he was going out) but didn't want his hair to look like a rat's nest at this party. Especially since he had made an effort to dress up. "You could have just asked me if there were bumps on my head. I would have told you there are none." The very... physical examination hadn't been necessary. But it was something that Imai would do.

Hide was starting to look concerned again. Hopefully no one would mention this to U-ta... He'd fuss and try to guilt Atsushi into going to a hospital. "Have you thought about seeing the doctor? Having so many headaches doesn't seem natural or healthy..." He trailed off. Neither of them wanted to voice potential reasons for the source of the headaches.

Atsushi shook his head then hissed and clutched his temples again. He shouldn’t do that again, he felt like he’d just banged his head against a wall. "I'm fine. I'll just take some aspirin when I get home."

Imai scowled. "Go see the doctor, idiot. There's probably something wrong with your head."

"What's going on? You still have that headache?" Yasu asked, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. He was giving Atsushi an extremely worried look. Yasu was one of his assistants. He liked Yasu but sometimes the other made him uneasy since Yasu was so in love with him. Atsushi hated himself when he had to reject Yasu’s confession since his assistant had been devastated, but he’d learned the hard way that dating co-workers only led to disaster. His divorce was proof of that. Yasu’s adoration also made him uneasy. If he did let Yasu date him he would feel like he was taking advantage of the younger man. Why did Yasu like him so much anyway... He wasn't special or worth loving.

Atsushi forced himself to smile. “I do, but I’ll manage.” He’d been working with a headache all day. While it made drawing difficult it wasn’t anything he couldn’t bear. Besides, he’d had worse headaches after a night of heavy drinking.

Yasu frowned. “Have you called the doctor?”

“No and I don't plan to. It’s just a headache.” Atsushi was starting to regret mentioning the headache at all now that three of his friends were clustered around him. At least U-ta wasn’t here to start fussing too. Having Yasu and U-ta fussing over him was a nightmare he wasn’t keen on repeating.

“But if you’re not feeling well…” Yasu trailed off.

Atsushi sighed. “I’m fine. I’ll go to sleep early tonight.” He stepped away from his once protective wall. Now that his solitude had been ruined he might as well go and have some more food.

* * *

The headache persisted throughout the party. Normally, Atsushi would stay through the end and then go to a smaller after party at one of his favorite bars with his friends, but this time he couldn’t. His headache had gotten worse when he had his fourth drink. Imai had noticed him wincing so had taken his beer away and replaced it with a glass of water. Atsushi hadn’t been happy about that, although the water had felt better than the alcohol.

He must have looked awful since Imai had pushed him towards the door. “Go home and go to bed, Acchan. You look so miserable.”

Imai was right; so Atsushi had said his goodbyes and gone home. He locked the door behind him then kicked off his shoes. Leaning down to untie them would probably make his head hurt more. Atsushi shrugged off his jacket then glanced down as he heard soft meowing. His face lit up as Bandit, his black and grey striped cat with soft white paws and a little black mask of fur, came up to him and rubbed against his legs. “Did you miss me?” Atsushi murmured, leaning down to pick up the cat. Bending made his head hurt more but he tried to ignore the headache as he nuzzled Bandit’s head. He winced as she bumped her cheek against his jaw, meowing again. Someone was probably hungry.

“Did you and Sphinx eat your food already?” he carried her into the kitchen and narrowly avoided tripping over his second cat. Sphinx, whose hobbies were sleeping and trying to trip Atsushi when it was food time, shot into the kitchen and sat by the empty food bowl. He started meowing loudly, which made Bandit start meowing too. Atsushi laughed softly then set the cat down. “All right, all right. Be patient.” He took the cat food bag out of the cupboard and poured it into their bowls. Sphinx immediately lunged for his bowl and started eating. Someone had been hungry. Atsushi gently stroked both cats then put the food away and headed to the bathroom. Sometimes taking a bath helped get rid of his headaches. He didn’t feel tired yet anyway so the hot water would also help him relax.

* * *

Toweling off his damp hair, Atsushi entered his bedroom. He immediately scowled as he caught Bandit chewing on his brand new eraser. “Bandit,” he said sharply. Her habit of snatching his pencils and erasers (along with her mask) had earned her the name. Sphinx’s name was due to his love of stretching out on the couch with his paws in front of him just like his namesake. “Don't chew on that!” He dropped the towel and crouched down so he could attempt to wrestle the eraser away from her. For a little cat she was strong when it came to relinquishing her prey. Bandit meowed in protest as he pulled the eraser away then jumped on the bed. Atsushi made a face at the cat spit and tooth marks on the eraser. His pencils were like that too… she must have gotten into his pencil bag. He decided he didn’t want to check his office to see if the bag was in shreds or not.

Atsushi set the eraser on his dresser then frowned as he heard Bandit letting out a strange sounding meow. She sometimes made that sound when she and Sphinx were fighting but Sphinx wasn’t in his room. Atsushi turned around to see Bandit sitting on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. She meowed again. Atsushi looked up but couldn’t see anything suspicious. What was she looking at? Maybe there was a cobweb up there.

“What’s wrong?” Atsushi went to his bed and sat down. She immediately climbed into his lap. Confused, Atsushi looked up again. That was… eerie. This was the first time she’d done this. Deciding she must be hearing something upstairs that he couldn’t, he gently moved her so he could lay down. Atsushi turned on his side then started petting the cat. She seemed to calm down as she curled up next to him. Sphinx jumping on the pillow distracted him and he glanced up. Bandit was usually the one who slept on his head but sometimes Sphinx would curl up on the pillow. Then he’d migrate to Atsushi’s chest or somewhere next to him. They never stayed for the whole night but were usually there when he went to sleep and when he woke up in the morning. Especially if he tried oversleeping—their demanding meowing for breakfast made that impossible.

Atsushi closed his eyes and shifted into a more comfortable position. Whatever had bothered Bandit before didn’t seem to be a problem now as Sphinx hadn’t reacted to it and Bandit was now purring in contentment. Must have ben his upstairs neighbor…


	2. Chapter Two

It was late by the time Atsushi returned home. He fumbled for his keys then paused as he realized there was a note stuck to his door. A note in pink stationary with little hearts on the paper. Oh no… was this another attempt from Ayako, his neighbor who was always trying set him up with her daughter? She’d stopped bothering him though after Imai had pretended to be his boyfriend last month. The desire to marry her daughter off must have overridden her shock at seeing him with another man.

Cautiously, Atsushi pulled the note off the door. He frowned as he realized there was no message on it. He turned the note over and saw a name stamped on the back—Maki. She and her older brother, Hisoka, lived above him. Maki was in her last year of high school and often stopped by his apartment to play with his cats and ask him questions about the music industry. Usually she would leave notes on his door asking if she could visit but she’d never left a blank message before. Something felt… wrong about this. Why would Maki go to the trouble of sticking a note to his door, but not write anything? Or was the blank paper a message? Atsushi frowned as he checked the time. It was almost midnight so she might be awake still… or maybe not. He glanced at the note and then at his door. It seemed rude to visit at this time of the night, but he wanted to know why Maki had left the note on his door. It was best to go to her apartment.

Atsushi went upstairs. He frowned as he saw the door was ajar despite the apartment being dark. Had one of them come home late and forgotten to close the door? No… that was out of character for both of them. Hisoka was protective of his sister and wanted her safe. He’d even been suspicious about Maki visiting Atsushi, a single man, but had eventually relaxed. The bad feeling Atsushi had had downstairs came back. Something was wrong. Very wrong. Slowly he stepped closer so he could knock on the door. “Maki? Hisoka? Are you here?” he called. 

Silence.

“Maki?” he tried again, a little louder this time. Atsushi didn’t want to be too loud and risk waking up the neighbors but just barging inside… When there was still no answer he cautiously pushed the door open and entered the apartment. “Are you two asleep? You shouldn’t leave your door open...” he trailed off as he saw Maki’s shoes in the entryway. She must be here—but what about her brother? Atsushi laid his hand on the door, hesitating. Something was… pulling him to go inside. Yet at the same time, part of him was screaming that he needed to go back to his apartment. To get inside, lock the doors, and stay far away from Maki and Hisoka’s apartment. But why? The kids were good people. 

Still feeling uncertain, Atsushi slipped out of his boots then flipped the lights on so he could see. “Maki?” he left the entryway and approached the living room. There was just enough light from the entryway to illuminate the nightmare inside. Maki was dead. She’d hung herself, but not before curling her hair and putting on makeup. Atsushi clapped his hand over his mouth as his stomach rebelled. Somehow he managed to keep himself from vomiting but couldn’t take his eyes off the once lively girl. Maki… why would she do this to herself? Atsushi’s breathing was ragged and too fast as he dragged his eyes away from her body. Then he realized what was under her: a microphone and what looked like rejection letters. Atsushi stared at the letters. What would crush Maki so much that she would kill herself?

Biting his lip, Atsushi slowly approached the letters. Two were rejection letters from universities and the other two were from talent companies. Maki had mentioned wanting to be a singer, that she had auditions this week… Atsushi picked the letters up. The audition letters were from three days ago while the university letters were from today. “Maki,” Atsushi whispered, backing away and looking at her again. Had the letters crushed her soul so badly that she couldn’t stand to live anymore? 

He sensed a presence behind him and spun around. Atsushi dropped the letters, eyes widening as he saw Maki standing nearby. Maki? Quickly he glanced up. Her body still hung from the ceiling but there she was, right in front of him. “Maki…?” Atsushi’s voice cracked. “W-What’s happening? Why are there two of you?” slowly he retreated, tensing as his back connected with a wall. 

“I knew you’d sense me. That you would find me here.” Maki adjusted her skirt then looked at the letters he’d dropped. “I was rejected from every university I applied to, I failed my auditions, and Hisoka yelled at me for wasting my money on clothes and audition fees instead of saving for school. I’m useless… a failure. I’ll never amount to anything so the only thing I could do was die.” She spat the last word as if it were a foul curse. Angrily she kicked the letters aside, raising her head to look at Atsushi again. “But then I thought of you… and how you’ve always been so nice to me. So I left the note on your door.”

Atsushi’s heart was beating so loudly she could probably hear it. How could a dead girl be standing in front of him? “Maki… w-what are you? A ghost?” No, that couldn’t be. He didn’t believe in ghosts! Atsushi had never seen or heard one before. They weren’t real. They couldn’t be real.

Maki smiled sadly. “Yes, Sakurai-san.” She was always too polite to call him by his first name. “I’m a ghost. I left the note on your door so you would help me.”

“Help you?” Atsushi echoed. How could he help her? 

“Yes.” Maki stepped closer. “I didn’t realize it when I was alive, but you’re sensitive to us. To ghosts. You felt like you had to come to my apartment, didn’t you?”

Atsushi didn’t trust his voice to speak so managed a shaky nod instead.

“I called you,” Maki replied. “I wanted you here.” The way she looked at him sent chills down his spine. Seeing her body had been terrible… just thinking about it made bile rise in his throat, but he kept it down somehow. The intensity of her stare just made everything worse. “Only you can help me.”

Somehow Atsushi found the strength to edge away from the wall. “I’m not… sensitive to ghosts. I can’t be.” The little voice in his head that had warned him not to come to her apartment was now screaming at him to get out. “Maki, I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to help you.” Maybe this was a dream… yes it, was just a dream. He was going to wake up and Maki would be alive and well. He closed his eyes then opened them again, biting his lip so hard it bled as he saw that he was still in the room. Maki’s spirit had disappeared though and all he could see was her body. Atsushi didn’t know what to do. If he took her body down before calling the police they might think he killed her. But leaving her here… Shuddering, Atsushi clapped a hand over his mouth as his stomach rolled again. He had to get out of here before he vomited in their apartment. He left the living room then gasped as he saw Maki standing in front of the door. She looked sad and stretched out one hand in a pleading gesture. 

“Don’t leave,” she whispered. “I need you to help me move on. I can’t leave this place! I’ve tried! I can’t get past your apartment before I feel as if I’ve run into a wall. Help me,” she repeated, approaching him. “You always helped me when I was alive. You can help me now.”

Atsushi started violently as he heard the sickening sound of a body hitting the floor behind him. He spun around to see the rope had snapped, dropping Maki’s body to the floor. He couldn’t hold back the nausea anymore. Small, cold hands pulled his hair back from his face as his stomach rebelled against him. Maki’s ghostly hands on him made the nausea even worse. His throat was burning and he felt his skin turning icy as Maki slowly rubbed his back. 

“It’s okay… you can help me.”

The sound of feet dragging made him look up and he couldn’t hold back a scream as he saw Maki’s dead body approaching, eyes white and her head still bent from how she’d hung herself. Atsushi wrenched away from her spirit just as the world started spinning. His eyes snapped open and he found himself in bed, sheets twisted around his legs and with a pounding headache. His heart was beating too fast and he felt like he was going to hyperventilate. He was panicking so much he’d scared Bandit and Sphinx off his bed. The cats were giving him reproachful looks. Slowly Atsushi started calming down, clutching his heart and trying to breathe evenly. It was just a dream. No… not quite. It had been a horrible, gruesome nightmare. That was all it was though: a nightmare. Atsushi hadn’t seen Maki or Hisoka lately since he’d been busy with work and assumed the siblings had been busy with their respective lives. That didn’t mean Maki was dead though—Hisoka would have said something and Atsushi would have heard about her death. There were plenty of gossipy old women who lived in the building and thought it was their job to know everyone’s business. The news of his “boyfriend” had spread quickly last time… people had left him alone for the most part at least but it had still been irritating. The gossip had died down and their latest target was a salaryman having an affair with a younger, attractive woman. Atsushi hadn’t heard anything about Maki or Hisoka.

“It was just a nightmare,” he whispered to himself, voice rough from sleeping. Slowly he took a deep breath then looked at the clock. It was five in the morning. Too early for him to get up but that didn’t mean he was going to try to go back to sleep. He didn’t want to think about what horrors he might end up dreaming about if he tried that. Atsushi swung his legs over the side of the bed and got up. Immediately he hissed and clutched his head as a wave of dizziness swept over him. Fuck, his head felt like he’d just banged it into a wall. A furry body brushing against his legs made him glance down. Sphinx rubbed against him and meowed, standing up on his hind legs to put his paws on Atsushi’s thighs. He did this when he was hungry—or wanted to be picked up.

“You just want breakfast,” Atsushi muttered. He sighed softly then leaned down to pick up the cat. Sphinx batted at his hair then started purring as Atsushi petted him. The sound made him feel a little better, pulling a smile from him. He always loved listening to his cats purring. It was such a relaxing sound.

Atsushi slowly carried his cat into the kitchen. Every step made his temples throb. How was he going to function at work if his head hurt this badly? He could call in sick if need be, but he wanted to avoid using up his vacation time if at all possible. Also, after that nightmare, Atsushi didn’t feel comfortable spending the day in his apartment. Although his cats would enjoy having him there.

He sighed then set Sphinx down so he could start preparing his cats’ breakfast. Once they were eating he made breakfast for himself, swallowing two aspirin with his coffee in the hopes that it would help the headache.

*

Atsushi felt better when it was time to get ready for work. He’d taken a long, hot bath earlier to help him relax. It helped with the headaches too. Due to the bath and the aspirin, his headache had died down. Atsushi pulled his jacket on then looked at the door. He wasn’t going to find a blank message on his door. He would even stop by Maki and Hisoka’s apartment before he left to prove that it had all been a nightmare.

“I’ll be back later.” Atsushi leaned down to pet his cats then grabbed his back and left the apartment. He couldn’t help but tense as he opened the door. Despite his conviction that it was a dream, a small part of him couldn’t help but worry that it had been true. There was no note on the door though. “Just a dream,” Atsushi whispered to himself. He locked the door and closed it, glancing towards the staircase. Visiting the siblings’ apartment would prove it. Atsushi quickly went up the stairs so check on the apartment. The door was shut and no light was coming through the small window next to it. Unease crept over Atsushi again. Maki and Hisoka should be getting ready to leave for school and work right now. Had they overslept…? Atsushi wondered if he should knock, to make sure they were okay. He stretched his hand towards the door then hesitated as the dream washed over him again. What if…Maki really was dead?

Atsushi pulled his hand back. He was too afraid to knock. If Maki was dead… no, it couldn’t be. Gritting his teeth, Atsushi forced himself to knock on the door. He waited a few moments to see if Maki or Hisoka would come to the door. Nothing. Maybe they’d left already? Or…

“It was just a nightmare,” Atsushi whispered to himself. Slowly he turned away. No one was coming to the door so there was no point in lingering here. It was best to leave and stop by later. Atsushi headed back towards the stairs then paused to look back at the apartment. The window remained dark and the door stayed shut.  
Groaning, Atsushi raked his hair back. He could only hope that today would be busy to keep him from dwelling on his nightmare.


	3. Chapter Three

Today’s schedule granted Atsushi’s wish: he was too busy to think about his nightmare. As soon as he reached the studio he had a consultation meeting with Lycaon to talk about costumes, a fitting session with Royz, and then overseeing Lycaon’s photoshoot. In truth, he did nothing during photoshoots—that was the stylist’s job. Still, his presence was required. There was a chance that he would have to make quick, emergency repairs to costumes. He usually didn’t have to fix costumes during photoshoots though. Lives were another story… especially what Rito wore.

Atsushi had some time to himself after the photoshoot. He had just settled down to work on concept sketches when his phone buzzed. Imai had texted him.

_Hey, Princess. Want to go out for lunch?_

Atsushi rolled his eyes. Imai had far too much fun teasing him about his long hair. _I’ll say yes as long as you don’t call me a princess._

The next text was a restaurant name and time. They would be meeting about an hour from now in a place that both were familiar with. _Sound good?_

Atsushi considered the restaurant. The food was good without being too expensive and there usually weren’t many people there. _I’ll see you there._ He pocketed his phone and picked up his pencil again. There was enough time to get some work done before he left for lunch. 

* * *

Atsushi entered the restaurant and looked for Imai’s familiar blue hair. The other man had sent a text a few minutes ago to say he’d already arrived. He was here somewhere… Ah, over by the window. Imai had seated himself at a table with his phone in his hand. Atsushi walked over, dropping his bag in one of the empty seats then sitting across from Imai.

The other man glanced up from his phone and smirked. “I thought you were a girl at first.”

Atsushi rolled his eyes. More princess jokes? Imai needed new material. “Very funny.” 

“You smell like roses.”

“I was at a photoshoot,” Atsushi explained. The roses had been a key part of the shoot so that explained his new… perfume. Smelling like a rosebush wasn’t ideal for him but there wasn’t much he could do about it. When Imai said nothing else, Atsushi picked up the menu and started glancing through it. He made a noise of complaint when Imai pushed the menu down, leaning forward to study his face. Feeling uncomfortable, Atsushi stared back. What was Imai up to now? His random scrutiny always made the designer feel uncomfortable.

“Are you alright? You look exhausted.” Imai traced the dark circles under Atsushi’s eyes. “You haven’t been sleeping well?”

“No I…” Atsushi trailed off, feeling like he’d been punched in the stomach as last night’s dream rolled over him. The note on his door. Maki’s body hanging from the ceiling with rejection letters at her feet. Maki speaking to him, trying to stop him from leaving… Atsushi didn’t realize he’d begun to tremble until Imai started rubbing his arm. 

“Calm down, Acchan. What happened?”

Atsushi took a deep breath as he tried to regain his composure. How could he explain the nightmare? It was difficult to put the horror into words. “I… had a nightmare yesterday.” He raked his thick bangs back then looked at Imai. “I’ve been so busy today that I managed to forget until now. You… you remember Maki, right?”

Imai blinked. “The girl in the apartment above you?”

“Yes.”

“You had a nightmare about her?”

“It started with a note on my door…” Atsushi slowly explained the nightmare. Imai didn’t speak during his story but his frown deepened as the story progressed. Once the designer reached the end, Imai remained quiet. He was often like this when he was digesting new information. The blue-haired man picked up his water and drained it before leaning forward.

“I see why you’re disturbed. That was… some freaky shit. I’m sure Maki is fine though.” Imai patted Atsushi’s arm. “Dreams rarely make sense and it’s even rarer that they’re true. So don’t worry about her.”

“I don't know… it was so vivid…” Atsushi bit his lip as he looked at his menu. Part of him wondered if it really had been a dream. What would it be then? There was nothing remotely clairvoyant about him. He tried to convince himself that Imai was right, that Maki was fine. The only way to find out would be to check on her later. Once he knew she was okay, Atsushi wouldn’t have to worry anymore. 

Imai shrugged. “Dreams usually are.”

A waitress came to take their orders, putting their conversation to a temporary halt. Atsushi quickly glanced through the menu while Imai placed his order. He settled on ramen and beer, deciding he needed a drink after everything he’d been through today. Once the waitress was gone, Imai looked at him again.

“About your dream… you’re probably just stressed about work. You’ve been busy lately so it makes sense.” Imai poked at his water glass, expression thoughtful. “You’ve only had a nightmare about Maki lately? No one… else?” Although Imai didn’t mention names, Atsushi knew what he was referring to. His childhood and dismal marriage were certainly enough to cause nightmares. He’d had plenty focused around both. 

Atsushi rested his chin on his hand. “Only Maki. And I’m not stressed.” He was busy, yes, but he enjoyed the work. His professional life wasn’t an issue and there were no problems with his personal life. If he’d had this nightmare several months ago he would have blamed his ex-wife. She had caused so many problems for him… her lies, her refusal to sign the divorce papers, how she constantly tried to get him to come back and love her again. Finally she had given in and signed the papers. Once he was free from her, his life had improved. 

Imai looked thoughtful. “Maybe you’re working too hard. Sometimes that causes nightmares.” He picked up his water glass to take a drink, setting it down once he’d drained it. “You should go out tonight. Get a drink, relax.” He frowned as he studied Atsushi again. “You seriously look like you need to unwind.”

Atsushi blinked. Maybe Imai was right. Relaxing could help… or was his busy life even the cause of the nightmare at all? Maybe his life in general was the problem. Sighing, he toyed with the ends of his hair. “I’ll try.” He glanced up as their waitress came with their food and drinks. She set the meals down in front of them then stepped back, bowing politely before walking away. 

“Drink up.” Imai pushed Atsushi’s beer towards him with a smirk. “Careful tonight. You know how you’re like when you’re drink.”

Atsushi rolled his eyes as he took a drink. “Funny.” He set the beer down and picked up his chopsticks, mumbling, “Itadakimasu,” before starting on the ramen. Further conversation was put on hold as the pair focused on their lunch. 

* * *

By the end of the workday, Atsushi was ready to hit the bar. Talking to Imai about the nightmare had made it impossible for him to focus on anything else. Details from the nightmare infiltrated their way into his sketches. Any work he’d done today would have to be redone when his mind was focused on his bands, not Maki’s possible suicide. Was it just a dream? Or was it real? Atsushi had been second-guessing himself all day. Part of him knew he should just go home. Check on Maki, make sure she was okay, then continue with his life. The more selfish part of him wanted to calm down first. Have fun, relax a little before he went home and faced his fears. Anyway, Maki was a student. Surely she was busy studying for her exams. If he came to talk to her later he wouldn’t have to worry about interrupting her studies.

He’d just convinced himself that it was okay to go to the bar when Kiyoharu and Rito walked up to him. “Hey, Atsu. Do you want to go out for drinks?” his assistant asked. “We’re meeting some people at the bar. Yasu and Satoshi are coming too.”

“Sure,” Atsushi replied. He gladly closed his sketchbook and started packing his bag. This would be the perfect distraction from Maki, the dream, and how pathetic he was for not going home now. Atsushi shot Rito a quick, nervous glance as he got up. He refused to have relationships within work (he’d learned his lesson with his ex-wife) but Rito, despite Atsushi’s polite rejection, was still interested in him. It made designing and fitting his costumes quite awkward at times. Rito was a very good-looking man, something the guitarist was aware of since he favored tiny costumes that left little to the imagination. Realizing he’d been looking at Rito for too long Atsushi turned his attention back to his bag. Damn it had his staring been obvious? He hoped not. Despite the awkwardness, Atsushi liked Rito and didn’t want to send the wrong message. 

Rito had obviously noticed. Instead of trying to take advantage of the situation he merely gave Atsushi a warm smile then turned to Kiyoharu. “We’re ready?”

“Mm. Come on, Atsu.” 

Atsushi followed Rito and Kiyoharu. He couldn’t help but feel nervous at the thought of going to the bar with Yasu and Rito. Both with feelings for him… hopefully this wouldn’t be awkward. Or at least as not as awkward as last time had been. Where both of them ended up drunk… quickly he pushed the memories away. No stress. Relax. That was what he needed to do. Worrying about his co-workers and their interest in him would only make his anxiety worse.

* * *

The bar was one they often went to after working. The owner knew them all by name and gave them discounts for customer loyalty. He was also generous with their beers—which often led to Atsushi drinking more than he’d planned to. He was a happy drunk though so it wasn’t much of a problem. People just had to put up with him being giggly and hyper. He would heed Imai’s warning though and not drink too much. Which was why he was sitting at a table with his second beer while the others had moved on to the bar and stronger drinks. Yasu had done so reluctantly… he’d obviously wanted to stay with Atsushi, but Kiyoharu had pushed him towards the bar. The designer felt like he should join everyone. The point of coming to the bar was to relax. He would only dwell on his thoughts if he stayed by himself. Atsushi glanced towards the bar where everyone was sitting and laughing together. Everyone but Rito. Where was he?

“Hey.” Atsushi started and spun around, blinking as he saw Rito standing next to him. The guitarist gave him an awkward smile. “It’s kind of… loud up there. Mind if I join you?”

Atsushi indicated the empty seat with his beer bottle. “Go ahead.” He hoped this wouldn’t be awkward. He missed when he could just talk to Rito without having to wonder what the guitarist wanted from him. It was the same with Yasu. What was so likeable about him anyway? Atsushi wished he knew. 

Rito settled down across from him. He sat the beer on the table, slowly pushing the bottle between his hands. His eyes were focused on the bottle as if there were something on his mind. “Atsushi.” Rito slowly looked up. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

Atsushi slowly lowered his beer. “What is it?”

The guitarist looked away. “I…” he took a deep breath then met Atsushi’s gaze again. “I’m sorry. I know I… I make you uncomfortable because I act like a lovesick fanboy around you.” Rito was still gripping his beer. “I’m grateful to you for all you’ve done. I truly respect and admire you… and as much as I would love to have a relationship with you, not just a business one, I know it’s impossible. So I… I just wanted to say I’m sorry. For being so overt about this and making you awkward.” He sighed then looked up, obviously anxious that Atsushi wouldn’t accept his apology.

At first he was too surprised to say anything. “Rito, you don’t… you don’t have to apologize.” Rito felt guilty about having feelings for him, which just made Atsushi feel worse. “I’m… sorry that I made you feel so uncomfortable that you felt like you have to apologize.” He gave Rito an awkward smile. “I’m kind of… a horrible person to date anyway.” Every relationship he’d ever had ended in disaster. Divorce, breakup… it was a wonder he even bothered dating. 

Rito’s smile was equally awkward. “I think everyone in the music business is hard to date. We’re always so busy.”

It wasn’t the same, but Atsushi didn’t want to correct him. 

Rito pushed the beer away. “So can we just… go back to how we were? I’ve made things awkward enough.”

“I’d like that,” Atsushi said softly. 

Rito’s smile was more natural this time. “Me too.”

Atsushi was about to say something but clutched his head as pain abruptly spiked through his skull. This wasn’t like the headaches he was used to having. They didn’t just… spring on him like this. 

“Atsushi?” Rito tentatively touched his head. “What’s wrong?”

The designer slowly rubbed his pounding temples. “My head h-” he clapped his hand over his mouth as a wave of nausea swept through him. He doubled over, hair falling around his face like a curtain as he tried to keep the contents of his stomach where they belonged. Rito rushed over to him and pushed his hair back behind his ears to see his face.

“Atsushi. Atsushi, talk to me. What’s happening?”

Quickly he shook his head. If he opened his mouth he’d throw up all over Rito’s boots. Just as suddenly as it’d come, the nausea abruptly faded. Atsushi didn’t dare straighten up until he knew his stomach had settled. Rito’s hands fell to his shoulders as he slowly straightened in his chair. “Atsushi?” Rito looked worried. “What happened? You were holding your head and then…”

Atsushi slowly took a breath. “My head started hurting and then I felt like I was going to throw up. It just… went away. But my head still hurts.” Slumping forward like that hadn’t helped his head but it had helped his stomach. He glanced at the beer, wondering if that had triggered his headache. It shouldn’t. Two beers wouldn’t come close to getting him tipsy and shouldn’t be giving him a headache. Maybe it was the loud conversations and music in the bar? Or maybe there was something wrong with his head. He really didn’t want to think about that. 

Rito’s hands slowly fell away from his shoulders. “Why don’t you go home and get some rest? It might help you.” 

Atsushi nodded then winced and rubbed his temples. Moving his head too much was clearly a mistake as it just caused him more pain. “Yeah… I’ll go home.” He pulled his wallet out of his pocket. Atsushi started to the bar so he could pay his tab, followed by an anxious-looking Rito. Kiyoharu, always observant for when Atsushi was sick or not feeling well of any sort, immediately spun to look at him.

“You have another headache.”

“How did you know?”

“You’re wincing at the lights and the music.” Kiyoharu set his tequila down, sighing as he studied the longhaired designer. “What’s up with your head, Acchan? You keep getting headaches lately. Are you okay?”

Atsushi didn’t want to have this conversation right now. “I’m fine, really.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m fine,” Atsushi insisted. “It’s just a headache. I’ll go home and lay down… get some rest.” His traitorous mind returned to the nightmare. He had to check on Maki and make sure she was okay first before he went to bed. He wouldn’t be able to rest until he could confirm that the dream had been just that: a dream. 

Kiyoharu nodded slowly. “All right. Take care of yourself, okay? Call me if you need anything.”

“I will.” Atsushi turned away from the bar, immediately clutching onto it as he suddenly felt dizzy. Rito took his arm for support while Kiyoharu moved to take his second arm. “I’m fine,” he protested. “I just felt dizzy all of a sudden…”

“You’re not going home alone,” Kiyoharu said flatly. “You’ll face plant on the sidewalk if you’re not careful. Come on.” Ignoring Atsushi’s protests, the two helped him out of the bar and outside where Rito hailed a cab. That made him protest further about the expense, how he could take the train… but his complaints were ignored. Kiyoharu tried to help him into the taxi but Atsushi glared at him until his assistant released him. He had a headache and mild dizziness. That didn’t make him pathetic and incapable of doing anything by himself. Once inside the cab Atsushi told the driver his address then slumped back the seat and closed his eyes. He’d check on Maki as soon as he got home then go lay down.


	4. Reality

Sirens startled Atsushi into wakefulness. One side of his face was resting on something… uncomfortable and there was a warm weight over his shoulders. Had he fallen asleep? Atsushi didn’t remember being so tired. He slowly straightened, feeling the arm fall away from his shoulders. He rubbed his eyes then glanced up to see who he’d been sleeping on. Ah, Kiyoharu. That explained the discomfort. He was too bony to serve as a comfortable pillow.

Kiyoharu smirked as he ruffled Atsushi’s hair. “Have a nice nap?”

“I guess…” Atsushi smoothed his hair down then looked out the window. They were close to his apartment. The source of the noise was a police car and an ambulance, sirens wailing and bright lights illuminating the street. Several people were standing outside to see what the commotion was about while more looked out their windows. A chill went down Atsushi’s spine as he thought of Maki. Had his dream been real…?

“I wonder why there’s a police car here,” Rito said softly.

“Maybe someone was injured?” Kiyoharu suggested. “If there’s an ambulance and a police car here…” he trailed off as the taxi driver parked and turned around to face them. He had a small receipt in hand to show how much they owed for the ride. Atsushi started to take his wallet out so he could pay but Rito beat him to it.

“Rito!” Atsushi protested. “You don’t need to pay for this.”

Rito smiled a little. “Relax, I make more money than you.” The smile faded as he looked at the police car and ambulance again. What was going on here?

Atsushi decided not to fight him. Too many other things were happening. “All right. Thank you.” He watched as Kiyoharu got out of the car so Atsushi, who was sitting in the middle, could do the same. “Are you two going back to the bar?” The night was still young.

Rito shook his head. “I have some guitar parts I need to practice. I should… probably go home and do something productive.”

Kiyoharu shrugged. “I’ll probably go back. Focus on you though, Acchan.” He waited until his boss was out of the car before laying a supportive hand on his arm. “I’ll walk you up to your apartment. In case you get dizzy again. Oh, how’s your head? I meant to ask earlier but got distracted by the sirens.”

“My head is fine.” The nap seemed to have gotten rid of his headache. “You don’t have to…” he trailed off, eyes widening as he saw a police officer leading a sobbing Hisoka out of the apartment. Oh no. Atsushi’s heart started beating faster as he thought of Maki hanging from the ceiling. “That’s my neighbor.” Atsushi slowly approached the pair, who had reached the police car by now. Kiyoharu followed close behind him. “Hisoka?”

Hisoka and the officer turned to face him. The officer was older than Atsushi with a black notebook clasped in his hands. “Who are you?”

“My n-neighbor,” Hisoka replied, voice choked with sobs. “M-Maki…” his voice broke when he said his sister’s name. “Talked to him a lot. She… she wanted to work in the music industry. Like Atsushi does.”

Atsushi felt like he’d been stabbed. Maki… Hisoka would never be this emotional if his sister was still alive. “Where is Maki?” That question had Hisoka dissolving into sobs again as he shook his head. He obviously couldn’t bring himself to speak the words.

“Dead,” the officer replied.

“Whoa!” Kiyoharu rushed forward to catch him as Atsushi’s legs gave out. Only his assistant’s quick action saved him from collapsing. Maki… dead. Just as he’d dreamt. How had this happened? “Acchan!” Kiyoharu shook him. Atsushi shuddered then slowly straightened, able to support his own weight now. Kiyoharu was too slender to hold him up without hurting himself.

“How did she die?”

Hisoka sniffed. “She… she hung herself.”

Atsushi closed his eyes. _She hung herself._  Maki’s death was identical to his dream.

 

*   *   *

 

Everything became a blur after that. Atsushi vaguely recalled the police officer giving him a suspicious look after the way he reacted to Maki’s death. Kiyoharu and Hisoka had rushed to his defense, snapping that Atsushi would never have hurt her. That he had been at work or near Kiyoharu all day. The officer had backed down after that, mumbling that it was his job to investigate all possible suspects.

 _“I don’t think you should stay here tonight,”_ Kiyoharu had said. He’d taken Atsushi’s arm and pulled him back to the still-waiting taxi. _“Stay with me tonight.”_ Atsushi had protested feebly—he didn’t have any clothes at Kiyoharu’s apartment, his cats needed him—but Kiyoharu had pushed him inside. Atsushi couldn’t remember much of the ride. He’d buried his face in his hands and slumped over, long hair veiling him from Rito and Kiyoharu. If he’d come home earlier… could he have saved Maki? Or had he been too late already? Had he dreamt about her suicide because she was already dead?

“Atsushi!” He jumped at the sound of his name. Atsushi straightened (had he been slumped over the entire time? He couldn’t remember) to see Kiyoharu and Rito giving him concerned looks. “We’re here,” his assistant explained.

Ah… so they were at Kiyoharu’s apartment. Atsushi slowly ran trembling fingers through his hair. “I can’t believe she’s dead.”

“It’s horrible,” Rito said softly.

Kiyoharu stepped out of the taxi. “Come on, Acchan. I’ll make you some tea once we’re inside.”

“Do you need help with anything?” Rito was frowning again as he looked at Atsushi. He was obviously worried.

Kiyoharu shook his head. “I’ve got him.” He laid a supportive hand on Atsushi’s shoulder.

“All right. Both of you… don’t come to work tomorrow. And don’t come back the day after if you don’t feel like you can handle it.” Rito glanced at Atsushi then at Kiyoharu. “Atsushi’s in no shape to think about designing anything.” The guitarist looked at Atsushi again, lips parting as if to speak but he was silent. As if he didn’t know what to say. Atsushi forced himself to smile at Rito. That only served to make him more anxious. So much for reassuring. The designer sighed quickly then reached into his wallet as the driver turned around. This time he was able to pay his fare. All it took was a warning glare as Rito and Kiyoharu reached for his wallets. He didn’t need to be treated like an invalid who couldn’t pay for his own taxi rides.

“Bye, Rito,” Kiyoharu said.

Rito said goodbye, catching Atsushi’s arm as he started to get out of the taxi. “If too much is going on for you… don’t force yourself to work. We can manage without you.”

Atsushi wanted to say he would be fine. That he didn’t need to stay home and cope with his neighbor’s death. But he couldn’t get the words out. So instead he nodded before getting out of the taxi. He waved at Rito then followed Kiyoharu up to his apartment. Time seemed to blur again because the next thing he knew he was sitting on the couch with a cup of warm tea pressed into his hands.

“Drink your tea and take some deep breaths. Try to calm down,” Kiyoharu said quietly.

Atsushi sipped the tea. It was green tea… not that it mattered. He liked most teas regardless of the flavor. “I dreamt she was dead,” he confessed, glancing up to see Kiyoharu’s reaction. His assistant frowned but didn’t ask questions. He was obviously waiting for Atsushi to elaborate. “I dreamt that she’d left a note on my apartment door, wanting to see me. So I went to hers…” Atsushi described the dream to Kiyoharu. Once he finished he took a sip of his tea, anxious about what his assistant would say. 

Kiyoharu sighed. “No wonder you were so upset when you heard about her death.” He sat down next to Atsushi. “I guess… you had that dream because you sensed something was wrong. It’s not your fault though.” He smirked at the surprised look on Atsushi’s face. “I know you well enough to know that you’ll blame yourself. There’s nothing you could have done though. Maki… might have been dead already by the time you had that dream.”

Atsushi rubbed his face with his free hand. “I don’t know,” he whispered. “I just wish I could have stopped her in time.”

Kiyoharu gave him a sad smile. “I don't know if you could have. Sometimes there’s no way to stop a suicidal person.” Gently he ruffled Atsushi’s hair. “Try not to dwell on it, okay? Maki’s death isn’t your fault.”

“I suppose…”

Atsushi’s half-hearted agreement didn’t convince anyone.

 

*   *   *

 

Atsushi stayed with Kiyoharu that night. He was invited to stay another (and tempted to accept) but needed to get back to his apartment to take care of the cats. He would only feel like he was intruding if he stayed with Kiyoharu. Besides… it was better to be home. Even if that home was tainted by death. Atsushi thought Hisoka might stop by his apartment but never did. He seemed to have shut himself in his own apartment, even though Atsushi tried contacting him. Knocking on the door, leaving notes… nothing worked. Whatever Hisoka was doing, he wasn’t interested in company. Atsushi had to accept that there was nothing he could do. So he’d continued with his life as best as he could, despite the headaches.

 _Why headaches?_ Atsushi wondered as he stepped out of the shower. What was going on with his head? Out of curiosity, he’d done some research on headaches earlier. Then quickly stopped because it was making him paranoid. He couldn’t have a brain tumor… could he?

“Don’t think about it,” Atsushi muttered. He sighed as he grabbed a towel and started drying off. If the headaches kept up he would go see his doctor. There had to be an explanation for this. Atsushi got dressed then approached the mirror, wiping the steam away from it with his towel. His pale face with wet, messy hair was reflected back at him. He frowned as he studied his reflection. Maybe the headaches were caused by stress over Maki’s death? It seemed plausible until he remembered having headaches before his nightmare. Sighing, Atsushi flipped his long hair back so he could brush his teeth. Maybe he was just overthinking this. Kiyoharu and Yasu would tell him that he was. And… they were probably right. He would try not to think about Maki again tonight.

Once he’d brushed his teeth and combed the tangles out of his hair, Atsushi went to his bedroom. Bandit was waiting on Atsushi’s pillow while Sphinx was sprawled out on his pajama pants. “Sphinx,” Atsushi complained, gently moving the cat aside so he could get dressed. Sphinx meowed in protest and settled down nearby. He gave Atsushi a reproachful look. Once dressed, Atsushi wrapped his hair in one of his hair towels then flopped down on the bed. Sphinx decided to forgive him as he moved to curl up on Atsushi’s chest. That made him smile.

“Good night,” he murmured to the two cats before closing his eyes.

 

*   *   *

 

Old floorboards creaked under Atsushi’s bare feet as he slowly walked down the hallway. It must have been years since anyone set foot in this mansion. Windows were broken, the curtains moth-eaten and decayed, while a thick layer of dust covered the floor and furniture. There was no electricity so Atsushi had to rely on his flashlight and the moonlight shining through the broken windows to see. A particularly loud creak made him jump, shining the flashlight on the floor again. The creaky floorboards made him anxious. What would happen if the floor just… broke? Would the fall kill him? Atsushi shuddered and tried not to think about it. He just had to keep walking. Find a staircase to take him to lower levels—then find a door so he could get out of here.

Moonlight shining off glass up ahead caught his attention. Biting his lip, Atsushi dodged the glass shards. His bare feet were another concern. If he cut his feet on broken glass or got a splinter… no, he didn’t want to think about it. Atsushi shuddered and kept walking. He had to find an exit. Or… did he? There had to be a reason for him coming to this mansion. But what? Atsushi couldn’t remember. He couldn't remember where the mansion was, how he’d gotten here. Couldn’t remember why he was walking barefoot in his pajamas.

Shivering, he rubbed his arm as he passed an open window. The temperature seemed to be dropping the further he went down the hallway. Did that mean he was approaching a staircase? Atsushi hoped he’d see stairs soon.

To his surprise, the hallway branched out into separate directions. The first ended in a closed door, the second continued without interruption, and the third curved around the corner so he couldn’t see what lay ahead. Atsushi bit his lip as he looked around. Something told him that he needed to choose carefully.

“Atsushi,” a familiar voice called. “Atsushi, is that you?”

He started violently then spun around. Atsushi’s eyes widened as he saw Maki approaching him. “Maki?” he whispered. “What are you doing here?” Her presence made him anxious but a selfish part of him was grateful to have company. He frowned as she drew nearer. She looked ghostly with her pale skin and white dress. Several strings of pearls were clasped around her neck. Atsushi realized she was trying to cover the livid rope marks that circled her neck like a morbid choker. “Maki… your neck…” he stared in horror. What happened to her?

“There you are!” Maki smiled at him.

“What happened to your neck?”

Maki adjusted her pearls. “It’s nothing.”

“But…”

Maki interrupted him. “Are you looking for something?”

Her avoidance made him suspicious. He couldn’t force her to talk about it if she didn’t want to though. “I… I’m looking for stairs.” He frowned as he recalled the feeling of searching for something else. “I feel that there’s something else too. I just… don’t know what.”

Maki laughed softly as she took his free hand. Her touch made him shiver again. Her fingers were ice cold. Atsushi curled his fingers around hers, trying to warm that icy hand with his. “I’ve been looking for you, silly!” she laughed, a sound that seemed out of place in this dark hall. “Weren’t you looking for me too?”

“I…” Atsushi didn’t know. It would explain why both of them were here. “I guess I was. Do you know where the stairs are?”

“I do.” Maki smiled. “I’ll show you where they are.”

“What about an exit?” 

Her smile faded. “Exit?” Chills went down Atsushi’s spine as Maki’s eyes flashed red. Then they were a warm brown again as her smile returned. What… what just happened? “Let’s find the stairs first.” Maki squeezed his hand then started walking. Atsushi slowly followed. Had he imagined her eyes changing? Or been fooled by the light? He hoped that was the case. He shone the flashlight on the floor again so he could warn Maki if she was about to step on glass because she, like him, was barefoot. Wait… Atsushi focused the beam at their feet. Atsushi left footprints through the dust. Maki… didn’t. He twisted so he could shine the light behind them. There should have been two sets of footprints approaching where they now stood, but there was only one. His prints. Horrified, Atsushi wrenched his hand from hers.

“Atsushi?” Maki turned to face him. “What’s the matter?” She looked concerned.

 “The dust.”

Maki frowned. “What about it?”

Atsushi took a step back. “You have no footprints. What… what are you?”

Maki reached for his hand, giving him a sad look as he recoiled. “Atsushi… I’m dead,” she said. “That’s why I have no footprints.”

Atsushi’s pulse quickened. “But you can touch me.” How could she hold his hand if she couldn’t leave footprints? It made no sense!

“Yes.” Maki reached for him. She caught his hand before he could pull back, curling her fingers around his. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I won’t hurt you. I just need your help.”

Something about that was familiar. “What do you mean?”

Maki sighed. “I don’t know how to explain it. All I know is that I need your help. We should keep going though. Unless you want to stay in this hallway?”

Atsushi didn’t. As much as letting a ghost lead him through this ruined mansion scared him, it was far more unnerving to be here alone. With no idea where he was going. So he had no choice but to follow Maki. Still holding his hand, she led him down the third hallway. It was colder and dustier here. Atsushi’s unease deepened as he looked at their joined hands. What would happen when they reached the stairs? Maki had been upset when he asked about the exit. She needed him to help her so she wouldn’t let him leave. How was he supposed to help her? What could a living man do for a ghost? Would it be… dangerous for him? If so, he would have to escape from her. But how? He’d have to fight her to escape. How did one fight a ghost though? The hand holding the flashlight shook again as Atsushi imagined what could happen.

“I wonder what the mansion was like before it fell into ruin,” Maki mused.

“Less dusty,” Atsushi muttered. He bumped into a wall hanging, coughing as it sent a cloud of dust into the air.

Maki giggled. “That’s true.” She continued down the hallway, leading him past a row of doors. Some were closed while others were open to show rooms as dusty and disused as the hallway. Were ghosts the sole inhabitant of this house? The thought made him shudder. “Shine your flashlight ahead of us. I think we’re almost there.” Atsushi obeyed. The flashlight beam fell on the polished wood of a staircase up ahead. “Come on!” She pulled him forward, taking the stairs two at a time. Afraid of tripping, Atsushi tried to pull his hand back. Her grip was far stronger than that of a teenage girl though. He couldn’t get his hand free. Atsushi did his best to keep up with her pace so he wouldn’t trip down the stairs. He breathed a sigh of relief once he stepped down to even ground. “We’re on the first level now.”

There should be a door nearby then! Atsushi raised the flashlight so he could shine it on the walls. There—on the far left! That was clearly a door. He couldn’t see it clearly but it was clearly an exit.

“What are you doing?”

Atsushi started at her question. “Nothing. Just trying to see what else is here.” He made a show of turning around and shining his flashlight at the other walls. He jumped as Maki tugged him closer to her. Even though she was smiling there was a warning in her eyes.

“You’re not thinking of leaving me, are you?” She reached out to touch his hair. “You can’t leave yet. I still need you,” she said softly. “ _We_ need you.”

“W-We?” Atsushi’s voice cracked on the word.

Maki nodded. “Yes. Me and the other spirits in the house need you. They’re waiting in the basement. Well,” she giggled. “They’re waiting for you. I’m just supposed to bring you downstairs.”

Atsushi blanched. “Maki… I don’t want to go to the basement. I need to leave.”

Maki frowned. “You can’t.”

“I-” he started violently as icy hands moved up his arms, grasping his shoulders and pushing him forward. Atsushi slowly looked over his shoulder. He almost dropped the flashlight at the sight of a tall, pale man in a ragged black suit standing behind him. His eyes were the same red that Maki’s eyes had flashed earlier.

“You heard Maki. We’re waiting for you.” The ghost nudged him again as Maki pulled on his hand. He couldn’t take his hand back and couldn’t resist Maki because the ghost behind him would just push him forward. Atsushi started shaking again as he reluctantly followed Maki. She led him past the exit door, down the hallway, and towards another staircase. The flashlight couldn’t penetrate the deep darkness of the stairs. Every instinct screamed at him to get away.

“Maki,” Atsushi whispered. “We… We shouldn’t go down there.” He tried to hold still, to stop moving, but both ghosts were merciless. The one behind him shoved him forward while Maki pulled him after her. All too soon they would be at the stairs.

“We have to, Atsushi. We need you,” Maki replied.

“Need you,” the ghost behind him echoed. As they neared the stairs the flashlight’s beam became stronger. Strong enough to illuminate the darkness. Atsushi dropped it with a shriek as he saw ghosts waiting on the stairs. The top two steps were empty but all other steps had a ghost on it. A ghost waiting for him.

 “You’ve brought him,” the ghosts whispered.

Atsushi started violently when Maki released his hand. The ghost behind him seized his shoulders to prevent him from running while the other ghosts moved up the stairs. All of them had the same red eyes. They reached forward, grasping his hands and his arms to pull him down the stairs. Atsushi tried to fight but their icy hands seemed to drain the strength from him. It was all he could do to keep putting his feet forward so he wouldn’t be dragged down the stairs and hurt himself. Atsushi wanted to yell at them to let him go, but he was too terrified to speak. He couldn’t even scream. Once he and the ghosts had reached the bottom of the stairs they abruptly let him go and moved to stand behind him. A ghost with silver eyes that wore worn grey robes slowly approached him. The ghosts behind him grasped his arms again to prevent him from moving as their leader pulled a knife from his belt.

“You can save us,” Maki whispered.

A noise of fear escaped him as a ghost grasped his long hair, pulling his head back to bare his throat. So he was supposed to “help” the ghosts by being murdered?! “Let me go!” Atsushi struggled to break free. The ghosts tightened their grip on his arms while the one holding his hair pulled his head back further. The leader stopped in front of him and raised the knife. Finally Atsushi found the voice to scream as the leader’s knife sliced across his throat, turning Atsushi’s vision red with his lifeblood.

 

*   *   *

 

Atsushi jerked awake, clutching his throat. He was in a cold sweat with the sheets tangled around his body. He was breathing heavily as if he’d just run a marathon. Bandit and Sphinx were still on his bed. The cats’ ears were back against their heads and they seemed uneasy. Atsushi fought his way free of the sheets then took deep breaths to calm down. It had just been another nightmare. While the one about Maki had somehow come true, he knew this one was purely the dark product of his mind. Ghosts didn’t exist. He had never seen a building like the one from his dream. Maki wouldn’t lead him to his untimely death in a dark basement. And a silver-eyed ghost wasn’t going to slit his throat. Atsushi shuddered as he wrapped his arms around himself. All that blood… he glanced down at himself, half-expecting his pajamas to be stained crimson. There was no blood though.

“Just a dream,” Atsushi whispered. He took another breath then turned to look at the clock. It was five in the morning. Too early to be awake but he didn’t dare go back to sleep after what he’d just dreamt about.

Shuddering, Atsushi picked up Sphinx as the cat moved towards his lap. Sphinx bumped his head against Atsushi’s cheek then started purring. The comforting sound helped him relax. He kissed the top of Sphinx’s head then carried him into the living room. Bandit jumped off the bed and followed at his heels. Atsushi sat down on the couch and laid Sphinx in his lap. The Siamese immediately curled up across his thighs, looking comfortable. Atsushi turned the TV on. He was too troubled to try to get any work done. Hopefully some mindless TV would distract him from the lingering horror of the nightmare. 


End file.
